1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates generally to footwear and, more particularly, to embodiments of a storage device that secures laces of the footwear.
2. Description of Related Art
Footwear comes in various types including footwear for athletics, work, formal dress, and the like. An element common among the types is the means for securing the footwear. Footwear typically deploys a lace or cord to draw the footwear about the foot of the wearer. In many cases, tying of the laces creates a knot and one or more loops or “bows.” The loops often are left loose, swinging freely about the footwear as the wearer walks, runs, or otherwise executes motive action.
Unrestrained loops may pose a hazard. Free swinging laces may catch on low-lying impediments or, in some cases, can entangle with and between the wearer's feet. Longer laces create even larger loops that may drag on the ground. Dragging not only facilitates catching and hooking but can also cause the laces to become dirty and worn. For athletes and outdoorsman, the wearer's motive action is often more likely to result in untying and/or loosening of loops and laces that move freely. The wearer must often stop frequently to re-tie the laces, which is generally a nuisance but also more problematic when the laces loosen and untie during periods of activity.
Devices are known that capture the laces. Many of these devices, however, require that the laces penetrate or otherwise integrate with the device in order to secure the device to the footwear. Thus, while these solutions may alleviate problems with loose and dangling laces, the proposed devices have other shortcomings that cause other problems and/or may have features that cause disfavor and low adoption among wearers.